Udall Statement on 75th Anniversary of Bataan Invasion

Udall Statement on 75th Anniversary of Bataan Invasion WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Bataan invasion, which began on December 8, 1941 – just hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor – when soldiers from the 200th Coast Artillery Regiment became the “first to fire” to defend the Philippines from Japanese bombers. The 200th Coast Artillery Regiment was made up of members of the New Mexico National Guard and were deployed to the Philippines before the onset of hostilities against the Japanese in September 1941. While severely outmanned and outgunned, the U.S. and Filipino forces stationed on the island fought bravely, and their tireless efforts held off the enemy forces for nearly four months, slowing Japanese momentum in the war. By April, with supplies running dry and starvation lurking, American and Filipino troops surrendered to the Japanese and became Prisoners of War. Soon after, they were forced into the notoriously brutal Bataan Death March, a grueling 65-mile trek that took the lives of nearly a thousand American soldiers. The survivors of the march were held captive for three years – enduring torture and malnourishment – before being freed in 1945. Today, on the 75th anniversary of the Bataan invasion, Udall issued the following statement: “Seventy-five years ago today, the troops at Bataan put on one of the most heroic and daring displays in American history. During four months of unrelenting combat, and during three years of gruesome imprisonment, the heroes of Bataan faced down unspeakable horror and unfathomable odds, and they became an enduring symbol of American bravery and perseverance. The courageous actions of these troops should not be forgotten. It is a debt that our nation can never truly repay – and New Mexico, the United States, and the entire free world are forever grateful for their sacrifice. “New Mexico sent 1,800 of its best and bravest to the Philippines, but only 900 ever made it home. With each passing year, fewer survivors remain to tell the story of what happened during the Bataan invasion and the brutal Death March and captivity that followed. Now more than ever, we must do everything in our power to honor the memories of those we lost in Bataan and to express our boundless gratitude to those who are still with us. The veterans of Bataan command our deepest respect and appreciation, and we should award them the Congressional Gold Medal that they so richly deserve.” In several Congresses, Udall has introduced legislation to honor Bataan veterans with a Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest and most distinguished civilian award. He continues to work across party lines to build support for its passage.

EPA RELEASES NOTICE OF DATA AVAILABILITY TO SUPPORT PROPOSED REVOCATION OF CHLORPYRIFOS TOLERANCES

Last week I told you about the EPA’s move to ban any product with chlorpyrifos in it, meaning Lorsban, Whirlwind, Warhawk, Yuma, Govern, Hatchet and Cobalt plus others. Please read the information below. There are petitions you can sign or better yet post a Personal comment on the EPA’s web site or do both. If we need Lorsban type products as tools for our growers we need to respond. We need grower response as well as yours. If a grower is in your office, please open the petition and have him sign. If you have any questions, please let me know. I appreciate your help! Greg Dow AgroSciences EPA RELEASES NOTICE OF DATA AVAILABILITY TO SUPPORT PROPOSED REVOCATION OF CHLORPYRIFOS TOLERANCES On November 10, 2016, EPA announced that they would issue a Notice of Data Availability (NODA) to support a proposed decision to revoke all chlorpyrifos tolerances and open a 60-day public comment period. That NODA is now available and the public comment period is open. EPA has indicated that this NODA comment period will be the last opportunity for stakeholders to express their need for chlorpyrifos. It is critical that our customers and stakeholders use this last opportunity to make their voice heard. www.chlorpyrifos.com/pdf/Chlorpyrifos NODA Customer Letter.pdf Petition Website DAS has created a petition website that enables customers and stakeholders to easily sign Petitions and support the need to maintain chlorpyrifos tolerances. All the signatures collected on these petitions will be submitted to EPA. The petitions are available at this link: www.chlorpyrifos.com/petition An explanation of the petition website and an invitation to follow a link and sign the petition is also included in the attached email. Petition Support Materials One page chlorpyrifos benefits documents have been created that provide customers and stakeholders important information about the need for chlorpyrifos in critical crops. These one-pagers may be downloaded at www.chlorpyrifos.com/petition and shared with customers and stakeholders. Contact your OP if you would like hard copies of these documents. Finally, a postcard with a brief explanation of the NODA and an invitation to go to the petition website will be provided. Each sales representative and account manager will receive fifty (50) postcards to share to share generously. If you need more, contact your OP. This is a critical time for chlorpyrifos. It’s the last opportunity to inform EPA just how much the Ag industry needs this chemistry. Use these resources to mobilize your customers and stakeholders to stand up and fight for chlorpyrifos. If you receive any media requests, please refer them to David Sousa. (317.337.6223, DJSousa@dow.com) Phil Jost U.S. Insecticides Marketing Leader Mobile: 317.750.8051 hjost@dow.com Dow AgroSciences LLC 9330 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268 www.dowagro.com Solutions for the Growing World

USDA Announces New Conservation Opportunities to Improve Water Quality and Restore Wildlife Habitat

USDA Announces New Conservation Opportunities to Improve Water Quality and Restore Wildlife Habitat 12/07/2016 12:00 PM EST DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 7, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The announcement includes new CRP practices to protect water quality and adds an additional 1.1 million acres targeted to benefit wildlife, pollinators and wetlands.

USDA Announces No Extra Storage Areas Needed for 2016-Crop Cotton Marketing Assistance Loan Program

USDA Announces No Extra Storage Areas Needed for 2016-Crop Cotton Marketing Assistance Loan Program 12/07/2016 03:00 PM EST WASHINGTON, Dec. 7, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced that there is not a cotton storage deficit.

USDA Announces New Conservation Opportunities to Improve Water Quality and Restore Wildlife Habitat

USDA Announces New Conservation Opportunities to Improve Water Quality and Restore Wildlife Habitat DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 7, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The announcement includes new CRP practices to protect water quality and adds an additional 1.1 million acres targeted to benefit wildlife, pollinators and wetlands. “The Conservation Reserve Program is an extremely popular voluntary program that offers producers and landowners a wide variety of opportunities to prevent erosion, protect wildlife habitat and reduce nutrient runoff,” said Vilsack. “With the program close to the legal enrollment limit of 24 million acres, USDA has been working to use all of the tools at our disposal to maximize benefits by combining multiple soil, water and wildlife objectives in the areas where it is needed most.” Vilsack unveiled a new conservation initiative known as Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR), which will add new tools to CRP that can help to improve water quality. CLEAR will assist landowners with the cost of building bioreactors and saturated buffers that filter nitrates and other nutrients from tile-drained cropland. Early estimates indicate that CLEAR could help to reduce nitrate runoff by as much as 40 percent over traditional conservation methods. CLEAR may cover up to 90 percent of the cost to install these new practices through incentives and cost-share. These new methods are especially important in areas where traditional buffers have not been enough to prevent nutrients from reaching bodies of water. USDA will also add an additional 1.1 million acres to a number of key CRP practices that are critically important to wildlife and conservation. These include 700,000 acres for State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) efforts, which restore high-priority wildlife habitat tailored to a specific state’s needs. In addition to SAFE, 300,000 acres will be added to target wetlands restoration that are nature’s water filters and 100,000 acres for pollinator habitat that support 30 percent of agricultural production. The continued strong demand for CRP combined with the limited acreage available for enrollment and lower land rental rates, allows USDA to modify certain program components without affecting the integrity of the program. Signing incentives are being reduced by $25 per acre on certain practices for fiscal year 2018 enrollments (incentives are currently between $100 and $150 per acre) and a cap on the maximum soil rental rate is being instituted for Continuous CRP at $300 per acre. The savings from these changes are being reinvested back in CRP, including the additional acres for SAFE, pollinator habitat and wetlands restoration. To learn more about FSA’s conservation programs, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation or contact your local FSA office. To find your local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov. Throughout the Obama Administration, USDA has generated thousands of critical partnerships to conserve and protect our natural resources on working landscapes, while enrolling a record number of acres in conservation programs. Seventy-percent of the nation's land is owned and tended to privately, and America's farmers, ranchers and landowners have willingly stepped up to address the growing impacts of a changing climate. With USDA's support, they are working to implement voluntary practices that improve air and water quality, prevent soil erosion and create and protect wildlife habitat. Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $29 billion to help producers make conservation improvements, working with as many as 500,000 farmers, ranchers and landowners to protect land and water on over 400 million acres nationwide. Read more about USDA’s record conservation outcomes under this Administration at Caring for our Land, Air and Water: Preserving Precious Natural Resources for Tomorrow. # USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

USDA Announces New Conservation Opportunities to Improve Water Quality and Restore Wildlife Habitat

You are subscribed to USDA Office of Communications. Release No. 0257.16 Contact: Kent Politsch (202) 720-7163 USDA Announces New Conservation Opportunities to Improve Water Quality and Restore Wildlife Habitat DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 7, 2016 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will offer farmers and ranchers more opportunities to participate in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The announcement includes new CRP practices to protect water quality and adds an additional 1.1 million acres targeted to benefit wildlife, pollinators and wetlands. "The Conservation Reserve Program is an extremely popular voluntary program that offers producers and landowners a wide variety of opportunities to prevent erosion, protect wildlife habitat and reduce nutrient runoff," said Vilsack. "With the program close to the legal enrollment limit of 24 million acres, USDA has been working to use all of the tools at our disposal to maximize benefits by combining multiple soil, water and wildlife objectives in the areas where it is needed most." Vilsack unveiled a new conservation initiative known as Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR), which will add new tools to CRP that can help to improve water quality. CLEAR will assist landowners with the cost of building bioreactors and saturated buffers that filter nitrates and other nutrients from tile-drained cropland. Early estimates indicate that CLEAR could help to reduce nitrate runoff by as much as 40 percent over traditional conservation methods. CLEAR may cover up to 90 percent of the cost to install these new practices through incentives and cost-share. These new methods are especially important in areas where traditional buffers have not been enough to prevent nutrients from reaching bodies of water. USDA will also add an additional 1.1 million acres to a number of key CRP practices that are critically important to wildlife and conservation. These include 700,000 acres for State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) efforts, which restore high-priority wildlife habitat tailored to a specific state's needs. In addition to SAFE, 300,000 acres will be added to target wetlands restoration that are nature's water filters and 100,000 acres for pollinator habitat that support 30 percent of agricultural production. The continued strong demand for CRP combined with the limited acreage available for enrollment and lower land rental rates, allows USDA to modify certain program components without affecting the integrity of the program. Signing incentives are being reduced by $25 per acre on certain practices for fiscal year 2018 enrollments (incentives are currently between $100 and $150 per acre) and a cap on the maximum soil rental rate is being instituted for Continuous CRP at $300 per acre. The savings from these changes are being reinvested back in CRP, including the additional acres for SAFE, pollinator habitat and wetlands restoration. To learn more about FSA's conservation programs, visit www.fsa.usda.gov/conservation or contact your local FSA office. To find your local FSA office, visit http://offices.usda.gov. Throughout the Obama Administration, USDA has generated thousands of critical partnerships to conserve and protect our natural resources on working landscapes, while enrolling a record number of acres in conservation programs. Seventy-percent of the nation's land is owned and tended to privately, and America's farmers, ranchers and landowners have willingly stepped up to address the growing impacts of a changing climate. With USDA's support, they are working to implement voluntary practices that improve air and water quality, prevent soil erosion and create and protect wildlife habitat. Since 2009, USDA has invested more than $29 billion to help producers make conservation improvements, working with as many as 500,000 farmers, ranchers and landowners to protect land and water on over 400 million acres nationwide. Read more about USDA's record conservation outcomes under this Caring for our Land, Air and Water: Preserving Precious Natural Resources for Tomorrow. #

EPA Places Restrictions on Pesticide Use to Protect Four Endangered and Threatened Species

EPA Places Restrictions on Pesticide Use to Protect Four Endangered and Threatened Species EPA is placing geographically specific pesticide use restrictions on the use of eight gas cartridge products containing sodium and potassium nitrate, carbon and carbon dioxide, and sulfur to protect four endangered and threatened (listed) species in certain areas of the United States. These include the gopher tortoise, Hualapai Mexican vole, Mount Graham red squirrel, and Utah prairie dog. Gas cartridge products are used to control burrowing mammals. The restrictions can be found in EPA’s Endangered Species Protection Program Bulletins. The new labels for gas cartridge products reference the Bulletins, thus making them enforceable. The new labels should largely replace the previous ones on the market by mid-2018. In order to allow gas cartridge users adequate time to plan for future applications in light of the new use limitations, the Bulletins will become enforceable in June 2017. This action represents the first case where we are taking measures to protect listed species as a result of registration review and prior to formal consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Registration review is EPA’s review of each registered pesticide at least every 15 years to determine whether it continues to meet the FIFRA standard for registration. For information on the registration review of the gas cartridge products see: sodium and potassium nitrate – EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-1118; carbon and carbon dioxide – EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0705; and sulfur – EPA-HQ-OPP-2008-0176 at www.regulations.gov.